March 11, 2022 - Return to Napa; 3/6/2022-3/13/2022 (Wineries and various restaurants): The obligatory starter chard for the tasting. It’s interesting because the description of it made me think it would be very much not my style but this was less offensive than some. More honey notes. 14 months in American oak. Full malo. And yet almost a touch sweet which maybe makes it more ok (I have never minded the SQN dessert wines one of which is chard). Still not for me, but not bad.
February 20, 2022 - Too sharp. Lacking balance. Not a fan.
February 4, 2022 - Certainly on the back nine of life, but still had good acidity/balance. A touch of honeyed maturity/materization, but still had enough kick to count.
January 6, 2022 - PNP from Coravin into Riedel tasting glass (“Flower” day): medium golden to the eyes.
Sulphurous notes that reminds me of the 1999 Bourgogne blanc tasted before.
94-95 points.
October 26, 2021 - Pretty golden color, with stone fruit and integrated oak accents but seemed slightly oxidized to me--may be on the downside. Tasted at winery
June 20, 2021 - Drank our last bottle last night, all I can say is wow, after 10 years this was just spectacular - Deep gold, viscous, honey-like with notes of butter, toast, oak, very complex on the nose and the palate with terrific length, it was surprisingly bigger than the Ridge Estate Cab we had alongside w/14.1% alcohol, but it was remarkably balanced. Agreed there is likely no point in holding anymore but this was just a lovely example of a Santa Cruz Chard (94 Points).
June 13, 2020 - Second bottle of Ridge's 2011 Estate chard, four years later, and this has fully held up. Slight oxidation, negligible oak, minerality, length, and above all, balance.
November 12, 2019 - White flowers, peach, apricot, Vanilla. Fresh, yet complex, simply gorgeous!
December 12, 2018 - Very nice, steely with a bit of butter.
August 26, 2018 - With Chicken kiev, brown rice, carrots.
Look: yellow/yellow gold, a beautiful wine, full and bright.
Smell: fruit (apricot and peach), maybe some melon.
Taste: a touch of smoke, moderate to low acid, toasted oak, a joy to drink. Won't get better, so drink up.